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Greetings, everyone! My name is Sharon Taylor, and I am a kindergarten teacher at Riverwood Elementary in Memphis, TN. I bring to my classroom fifteen years of joyous teaching experience. My husband Andrew and I have been married for nine years. We are the proud parents of four beautiful children, 8-year-old twins Allison and Madison, 5-year-old Hailey, and 3-year-old Jordan. Being a busy mother of four and a kindergarten teacher tends to leave very little time for leisure. When I do manage to capture a few moments, I enjoy amateur photography, arts and crafts, and watching some of my favorite movies.

No one in my family was surprised when I decided to become a teacher. Growing up I loved playing the role I knew would one day be mine. My classroom back then consisted of my parents, siblings, friends, and of course my always attentive dolls. After high school, I decided to pursue my dream. My journey began when I received my bachelor’s degree in special education from Delta State University in Cleveland, MS. While student teaching in an open-concept school, I fell in love with the classroom across the hall. The bright smiles and giggles coming from this room claimed my attention daily. I knew that this was something I wanted to be a part of. I taught special education, which I enjoyed, for four years before returning to school to pursue my true love ÃƒÂ¢Ã‚Â€Ã‚Â• kindergarten. I began teaching kindergarten after receiving my master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, TN.

My goal each year is to make each child feel special while learning in a fun and safe environment. My vision is that every child will have high self-esteem, thrive on challenges, and have compassion for the needs of others. Each morning you will find me standing at my door greeting each child with a warm smile and a friendly hello. This initial greeting is followed by a morning meeting. During this time, students gather together on the carpet and have the opportunity to practice skills such as being attentive, listening, showing expression, and cooperating. Throughout the day you will find students in my class actively involved in hands-on activities, working in small groups, and above all, having fun while learning. Incorporating learning centers into my classroom has been a great way to supplement those boring worksheets with fun activities. My centers are set up to promote independence responsibility, and self-discovery. Our class wraps up each day with a closing circle. During this time students have the opportunity to reflect on their day and/or set goals for the next. I have very high expectations for all my students, and I know that every student will succeed. I believe that high expectations and opportunities for success are necessary for maximum student development. Partially due to my background in special education, I’ve had many successes with adapting my classroom activities to meet the needs of all students. These activities have strengthened and benefited every student intellectually, emotionally, socially, and physically.

Teaching at Riverwood Elementary has given me the opportunity to spread my wings and soar in my classroom. We are a new school nestled in a quiet community. I call our school the giant melting pot of our district because our students come from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds. Riverwood practices the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching, which you will learn more about as the year progresses.

Kindergarten is truly one of the most challenging and rewarding grades to teach. I look forward to sharing this school year with you!